Car coupling



Jan. 30, 1923. 1,443,821. R. E. L. JANNEY.

CAR COUPLING.

FILED FEB.5.1918. snEETs--SHEET 1.

Jan. 80, 1923. 1,443,821. R. E. L. JANNEY.

CAR couPLlNG.

FILED FEB. 5. 1918. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

( I jizz/07%? Jan. 30, 1923.

R. E. L. JANNEY. CAR GOUPLING.

l FEB. 5| 1918.

Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

srArEs ROBERT E. L. JANNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,. ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

can COUPLING.

Application led February 5, 1918. Serial No. 215,456.

To aZ-Z whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RoERr'E. L. J AN NEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State taking an inoperative position duringJl a coupling action.

Generally speaking, this and other objects are accomplished by providing in a coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a loc-k carried thereby, and means for preventing said lock from taking an inoperative position during the act of making a coupling.

The invention is illustrated on the accom-i panying sheets of drawings, in which- Figures 1, y2 and 3 are vertical sectional views of a car coupler embodying the features of my invention.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of modifications of m invention.

Figure 7 is a rear View ofi7 a -car coupler, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, partof the rear wall of the coupler head being broken away.

Figures 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views of a car coupler similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, but showing the lock as operated by a bottom lifter instead of a to lifter.

lhe various'novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

. Generally speaking, with reference to all of the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that the coupler includes the usual coupler head 10, a pivotally mounted knuckle having a tail 11, and a lock 12, which may be operated by a top or bottom lifter either permanently or detachably connected to the lock, the coupler head being .shown in Figure 1.

provided with a seat 13 for the reception of the tail portion 14 of the loc-k 12 in the lockset position of the lock.

For the purpose of moving the lock 12 from its lock-set position as shown'in Figure 3 to its position, as indicated in Figure l, where it is supported on the knuckle tail 11 in the open position of the knuckle, the top of the knuckle tail, as shown in Figure 7, is provided with a transversely inclined portion 11a which wipes beneath the bottom of the lock 12, when the pivoted knuckle is moved from its closedl position,y whereby the lock 12 will be lifted and the part 14 raised from the lock-set seat 13. Furthermore the vtop of the knuckle tail is inclined downwardlyand rearwardly, as at 11", in Figure 1, and as the knuckle tail engages the bottom of the lock 12 in front of its center of gravity, said lock, after being lifted from the lock-set seat will tilt rearwardly into a substantially upright position and thereby beV drawn from its lock-set position forwardly onto the tail of the knuckle and in a position ready for locking purposes.

Referring more paricularly to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 it will be noted that the back wall 15 of the coupler head is provided with a recess or notch 16 for the reception of a corner portion or projection 17 of the lock 12, whereby the latter is prevented froml moving upwardly independently of a lifting acp tion of the lifter 19. As is well understood,

the lock 12 rides on the tail portion 11 of .the coupler knuckle when the .latter moves between opened and closed positions. as Ordinarily in making a coupling with the parts arranged` as in Figure 1, the lock 12 would move into locking position, wherein the tail 14 would fall down into the passageway 18. However, it has been found that under certain conditions the impact occasioned by a coupling action has a tendency to throw the lock upward andv backward, thus disengaging the lock from its cooperative engagement with the knuckle, as in my prior Patent 1,131,139, for removing it, and holding it from its lockset position, whereby it'will move into lock--l set position instead of moving into its locking position that is to say, during the closing` laction of the knuckle the lock jumpsonto the lock-set seat 13 and fails to dropto a lock--V ing position when the knuckle closes. However, with the arrangement l have provided, it is impossible for the lock to move into lock-set position in making a coupling for three reasons. First, the recess or notch 16 limits the upward movement of the lock 12, when unassisted by the litter 19, whereby it is impossible for the extremity of the tail 1-1 to rise to the elevation of the seat 13. Secondly, a projection 29 atthe lower end ot' the litter 19 bears against the rear of the lock in a manner to prevent a backward tilting action of the lock toward the lock-set position. Thirdly. when the lock is given an upward thrust. due to the impact in the act ot' coupling, the cam 22 of the lifter 19 is wedged up against the cooperating curved surface 23. thereby preventing any movement of the lock toward a lock-set position. It might be said in this connection that any force tending to lift the lock 12 from the position shown in Figure 1, will cause the lock to move away from a lock-set position. By means of this arrangement, it is impossible for the lock to jump back onto its seat after the coupler knuckle has been opened, preparatory to making a coupling, regardless of the impact occasioned during the act of coupling.

In other words I have provided stop means for maintainingthe lock and cooperating parts in their normal relation during the closing of the knuckle, thereby to prevent the lock from going back on the lock-set seat.

.Vhen it is desired to move the lock into lock-set position, the same may be accomplished by raisingr the lifter 19. This lifter has a. hook portion 20, the lower part of which normally engages the floor ot' the lock recess 21. when t-he coupler knuckle is in open position, and is provided in the rear with a cam projection 22 which cooperates with the inner curved wall surt'ace 23 on the head. Accordingly, when the lifter is elevated, the corner or projection 17 ot' the lock 12 is Withdrawn from the notch 16 in the rear wall 15 ot the coupler head. As soon as the slack between the lifter 19 and the bail of the lock is taken up, the litter projection 29 is raised out of engagement with the rear of the lock whereby the lock is freed. This action also is true when it is desired to raise the lock above lock-set position, as in throwing the knuckle. The lock when moved out ofthe notch 16 is free to move upward to its full extent.

It will be appreciated that when the lock is released after being raised, it will move into lock-set position when the knuckle tail 11 is in a non -support-in position, such as is the case when the knuc le is in closed position.

Referring to Figure 4. it will be noted that the arrangement therein disgclosed differs from the arrangement disclosed in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, by not having the pro`- jection 29 at the lower end otl the lifter 19. The lock 12 is withdrawn from the notch 16 by raising the lifter. as hereinabove described.l j

The modification, as shown in Figure 5. is the same as the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, with the exception that vthe notch 16 is not present in the rear Wall ofthe coupler head and the lifter projection 29 is missing. In this arrangement, the lock is notl hanging on the bail of the lifter, and the shape ot' the recess in the lock is such that the lock Will bind on the hooked lower end of the lifter and thereby preventupward movement and also swinging or tilting of the lock to such a position as would permit the lock to go back on the lock-set shoulder 13. Furthermore, the present lock has the upright rib and groove slidable connection with the coupler` head of my prior Patent No. 1,130,821 which will prevent the lock from moving forwardly into such position as would permit it to tilt on to the lock-set seat 13. j

I wish to make it clear thatI the lock 12 will be prevented trom moving toward a lock-set position, under the conditions imposed, by any one of the three means specifically mentioned, but as a matter of good practice prefer to combine all for commercial use.

By referring to the modifications shown in Figure 5, it will be noted that vinstead ot' having a portion of the lock 12'passed into the recess 1G, a cam or projection 2i on the litter 2T passes into the recess 16, normally to prevent the lock 12 from resetting during a coupling action. It Will be noted also that the opening 25 in the hook 26 ot the lifter 2T eX- tends at an angle, which is parallel, or substantially parallel, with the upper face 28 ot' the lifter cam 24, whereby, when the litter is raised, the Jrojection 24 thereof is free to move out ot t, e notch or recess 16.

The arrangement shown in Figures T and 8 is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. with the exception that a bottom lifter 31 is provided, the upper portion of which is provided with-a releasing cam 22 and a projection 29, which prevents the lock 12 trom swinging rearwardly toward a lock-set position under the conditions hereinabove considered.

. lt is apparent that there may be various modifications of the invention herein particularly shown and described, and it is my intention to cover all such modifications which do not depart 'from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What ll claim is:

1. In an automatic car' coupler, the com` -bination .with a coupler head, a swinging vknuckle having a tail, a lock-set seat. a lock. and means to remove the lock from the lockset seat, during the opening movement of the knuckle. of means for insuring movement of the lock to locking position during,r the closing of the knuckle.

2. In anv automatic car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a swinging knuckle, a lock-set seat. a lock. and means to remove the lock from the lock-set seat during the opening movement of the knuckle. of means on .the coupler head for insuring movement of the lock to locking position during the closing of the knuckle.

3. The combination with a coupler head. a swinging knuckle. a lock-set seat. and a lock. of means to prevent the lock from rising to a position in which it may reseit upon the lock-set seat during the closing movement of the knuckle.

4. The combination with a coupler head. a swinging knuckle, a lock, a lock-set seat, a top stop for the lock. and an anti-creep, of means intermediate the anti-'creep and the top stop for preventing upward movement ot' the lock, during the closing movement of the knuckle.

5. The combination with a coupler head, a swinging knuckle, a lock-set seat. and a lock, ot'means for preventing upward movement and rearward movement of the lock during the closing movement of the knuckle.

6. The combination with a coupler head, a swinging knuckle, a lock, a lock-set seat, a top stop for the lock, and an anti-creep. of means intermediate the anti-creep and the top stop for preventing upward movement of the lock during the closing movement of the knuckle, and other means for preventing rearward movement of the lock during the closing. movement of the knuckle.

7. The combination with a coupler head, a swinging knuckle, a lock-set seat, a lock, and a lock'lifter, of means preventing upward movement of the lock during the closing movement of the knuckle, and means on the lock lifter and cooperating with the lock to prevent'rearvvard movementof the lock during the closing movement of the knuckle.

8. The combination of a coupler head. a swinging knuckle. a lock-set seat, a lock. and a lock lifter, lthe coupler head beingr provided with an abutment for cooperation with the lock to prevent upward movement of said lock during the closing movement of the knuckle, and the lock lifter being provided with a shoulder for cooperation with the lock to prevent rearward movement thereof during the closing movement ot the knuckle.

9. The combination with a coupler head'.

a lock lift-er loosely connected to the lock and having a r-camy portion in cooperative relation with the back wall of the cavity of the coupler hea-d.

11. The combination with a coupler head, a swinging knuckle, a lock-set seat, a lock, and a lock lifter, of means carried by the lock lifter and cooperating'with the lock to prevent rearward movement of the lock during the closing movement 0f the knuckle. Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 18th day of January, A. D. 1918.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY. Witnesses:

CHAs. L. BY R0N, C. M. OBERBECK. 

